Kobe Bryant proved this by praising Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies as “best defender I ever faced.”

The retiring NBA superstar wrote down the accolade on his game-worn Kobe XI signature sneakers along with his autograph that he gave to Allen after the Grizzlies’ 112-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last Saturday.

Allen, a three-time member of the All-NBA Defensive Team who notably faced off against Bryant as a hard-nosed guard with the Boston Celtics during the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals, posted his appreciation on Twitter.